ISLAMABAD, July 30: Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) has
approved 2000 scholarships for the Balochistan and Fata in higher disciplines
which would cost Rs862 million.

The official sources said the project was
initiated on the directions of the President which would provide access to 2000
students (1300 undergraduate-4-year BS programme and 700 postgraduate-MSc 15 to
16 years of education) from Balochistan and Fata to quality education
system.

The sources said that these scholarships would be distributed at
a ratio of 60:40 among students of Balochistan and Fata with coordination of
HEC, Department of Education Balochistan, Federally Administered Area (FAA)
directorate of education Peshawar.

The sources said that within
Balochistan and Fata, the scholarships would be distributed on the basis of
prevailing quota system among various districts, frontier regions and
agencies.

To implement the project, three Project Management Units (PMUs)
would be established one each at Education Departments of Balochistan Quetta,
FAA Directorate of Education, Peshawar and at HEC headquarter
Islamabad.

The financial provision for the three PMUs has been made in
the current PCIs. The PMUs in Quetta and Peshawar will coordinate the activities
of this project in coordination with the departments concerned.

The
sources said that these units would focus on following activities as the PMUs at
Quetta and Peshawar would develop the criteria for the selection of candidates
for the scholarships in coordination with the departments
concerned.

While developing the criteria, due weightage will be given to
the indigenous students.

PMUs at Quetta and Peshawar would invite
applications from the potential candidates through advertisement. APP